[btwine]

Grand Maestro Strenghts = Unbelievable Sub-bass, great treble, great soundstage. Still a specialist for me.
Mentor Strenghts = Unbelievable mids, massive soundstage, timbre, cohesive (all BA). Resolution. Allrounder
Annihilator Strenghts = Mid-bass, mids, unbelievable treble. Resolution. Also allrounder

There are more factors to take into consideration like timbre, dynamics etc.

All 3 get pretty much 1/3rd "ear-time". The best combo I've ever had, also better than any headphone combo I ever had. Three is the magic number for me.

I’ve been mulling over the same kind of short and sweet 3 IEM roster. My ear time is so limited these days. Decision points I would need to make -

Bass/warm: Xe6 or Grand Maestro?
Treble/detail: Anni 23 or Fei Wan?
Mids/all-rounder: Traillii or Rn6?

Curious to hear what others would pick, faced with this dilemma. First world problem in this hobby, I know.

 

[fejnomit]

I’ve been mulling over the same kind of short and sweet 3 IEM roster. My ear time is so limited these days. Decision points I would need to make -

Bass/warm: Xe6 or Grand Maestro?
Treble/detail: Anni 23 or Fei Wan?
Mids/all-rounder: Traillii or Rn6?

Curious to hear what others would pick, faced with this dilemma. First world problem in this hobby, I know.

I realize I agreed with the overall categories but never provided my choices for them:

Bass/warm: Bonneville*
Mids/all-rounder: Ronin
Treble/detail: Anni 23

*Not a bass cannon per se but my favorite overall bass because of the mid-bass blanket of fullness that everything else rests on...

 

[deroudist]

Looking for some swarm intelligence here. I absolutely adore the Dunu Falcon Pro (with the Atmospheric Immersion Filterset). That bass is like i love my bass. thick, meaty and engaging. I am currently looking for a higher End version (might as well be a TOTL IEM) that kind of does what the Falcon Pro does, but better. Better soundstage (eventhough i love the way the Falcon Pro does present the music), but they need to sound a bit clearer.

Have sold my Z1R a few hours ago, so the Sony would not be an option. Fit just is too much of an issue and i don't have enough time in my lifetime to listen to uncomfortable IEMs. Also own the U12t, which is a great IEM, but i want something more in the line of the Falcon Pro with an Bass emphasis.

What would you choice be?

 

[Rockwell75]

I could meet all my needs with this trio of my favorite Campfire IEMs:

Bass/mids/staging/imaging/timbre: Trifecta
Resolution/coherence/balance: Supermoon
Mids/general allrounder: Bonneville

I'm enjoying the Supermoon today. It is stupidly good through the RS8. R2R plays very nicely with planar IEMs and lends a nice natural flow and body to the timbre while maintaining balance and resolution. I loved SM through the LP6 and I love it just as much here.

 

[emdeevee]

Looking for some swarm intelligence here. I absolutely adore the Dunu Falcon Pro (with the Atmospheric Immersion Filterset). That bass is like i love my bass. thick, meaty and engaging. I am currently looking for a higher End version (might as well be a TOTL IEM) that kind of does what the Falcon Pro does, but better. Better soundstage (eventhough i love the way the Falcon Pro does present the music), but they need to sound a bit clearer.

Have sold my Z1R a few hours ago, so the Sony would not be an option. Fit just is too much of an issue and i don't have enough time in my lifetime to listen to uncomfortable IEMs. Also own the U12t, which is a great IEM, but i want something more in the line of the Falcon Pro with an Bass emphasis.

What would you choice be?

Based on the prevailing wisdom, you should look into CFA Bonneville. Getting all kinds of bass love and priced right.

 

[emdeevee]

I could meet all my needs with this trio of my favorite Campfire IEMs:




Bass/mids/staging/imaging/timbre: Trifecta
Resolution/coherence/balance: Supermoon
Mids/general allrounder: Bonneville

I'm enjoying the Supermoon today. It is stupidly good through the RS8. R2R plays very nicely with planar IEMs and lends a nice natural flow and body to the timbre while maintaining balance and resolution. I loved SM through the LP6 and I love it just as much here.

Poor Dorado, feeling left it out

 

[deroudist]

Based on the prevailing wisdom, you should look into CFA Bonneville. Getting all kinds of bass love and priced right.

Thanks. Also had my eyes on the Trifecta from CFA and maybe the Fir Xenon 6.

 

[tfenton02]

These three would make me sell everything else I have:

1. Grand Maestro
2. RN6 with Celeste Cable (CIEM)
3. Dita Perpetua

 

[warrenpchi]

Mark your calendars folks. I'm already counting down the days until this one...

It's gonna be ginormous! @HiFiHawaii808 is gonna want us to make it four days long!

 

[chickenmcnug]

I’ve been mulling over the same kind of short and sweet 3 IEM roster. My ear time is so limited these days. Decision points I would need to make -

Bass/warm: Xe6 or Grand Maestro?
Treble/detail: Anni 23 or Fei Wan?
Mids/all-rounder: Traillii or Rn6?

Curious to hear what others would pick, faced with this dilemma. First world problem in this hobby, I know.

Bass/Warm: VEX
Treble/Detail: VEX
Mids/All-Rounder: VEX

I’m a little smitten please send help

 

[Rockwell75]

Bass/Warm: VEX
Treble/Detail: VEX
Mids/All-Rounder: VEX

I’m a little smitten please send help

I don't think you need help-- you've chosen well! IMHO VEX has gotten a bit of a short shrift-- it's a tremendous IEM.

 

[Garney]

Rather than naming the preference for the "best" IEMs, I would be very interested to know what criteria one use to decide to have multiple IEMs and use them in rotation. Also, is there a "magic" number so that IEMs rotate enough on their own without really being neglected?

My idea:

Magic number: 3 / Criterion:
1x bassy/smooth/warmish (Xe6, Trifecta, GM, Odyssey?)
1x (more/less) neutral/allarounder/balanced (Ronin, Mentor, Trailli, Rn6?), or maybe 2x
1x trebly/energetic/brightish (Anni, Storm, Viking Ragnar?)

I like the idea of a larger collection, with a number of specialists and flavors for whatever mood I’m in / genre I’m listening to. Realistically though I can only maintain (read: afford) a smaller collection these days. Especially with headphones starting to draw some of my attention away from portable stuff… Three IEMs seems quite reasonable and should be able to cover most of the bases at any given time.

I’m working on rounding this out, but here’s where it stands and where I think things may end up:

Bassy/warmer/smooth/easy listener: 64 Audio Nio (runner up: 634ears 9iNE).

All-arounder/do-it-all/any genre midfielder: FiR RN6

Resolution / technicals / treble (but with good bass presence, a must): TBD. I have Annihilator ‘23 incoming and hope it slots into this role. Based on discussions with others, it will likely also cross over into the “all-arounder” category as well.

I could see myself adding something like the upcoming Duality, or XE6, for the first slot… but, Nio is my first ever “high end” IEM so it holds a special place in my collection. Tough to displace. Always reliable and enjoyable (plus abalone faceplates ).

Fei Wan could potentially slot in for RN6 and/or Anni. As could Loki, maybe. We’ll see what else releases in the coming months. We’re spoiled with choices these days, that I know for sure.

 

[chickenmcnug]

I don't think you need help-- you've chosen well! IMHO VEX has gotten a bit of a short shrift-- it's a tremendous IEM.

It just has that sound that I always imagined and wanted in my head..ticks all my personal boxes in an IEM. I don’t want to sound too shilly but it just suits my preferences to a tee.

 

[gLer]

I only really have one sound profile I care for...and at least half a dozen IEMs that are variations on the theme...does that count?

 

[btwine]

I only really have one sound profile I care for...and at least half a dozen IEMs that are variations on the theme...does that count?

If your ear time were limited and you decided to keep just 3 within the variations suite, what would they be?